


Timelines (Bruce/Kitty)

by ReginaNocis



Series: Obscure Love [26]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Rare Pairings, Time Travel, sorry - Freeform, this is kinda weird
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-16
Updated: 2018-01-16
Packaged: 2019-03-05 12:25:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13387761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReginaNocis/pseuds/ReginaNocis
Summary: Kitty keeps accidentally sending herself back in time. See what happens when she gets stuck there.





	Timelines (Bruce/Kitty)

The battle was almost over. The weird slime creatures were getting few and far between, and Kitty was exhausted. A three hour fight was not something she enjoyed, especially since using her abilities was exhausting under  _normal_ circumstances. She was only sixteen years old, the youngest of the X-men. The Professor had said that she was in control enough to join, but most of her classmates didn't have that control yet. The only other students on the team were Rogue, Bobby, and John. The rest of the members were all teachers, or graduates like Piotr. Kitty had always felt it was an incredible honor to be included, and she never took it for granted.

Just as she kicked through one of the last slime monsters, she felt the tug in her stomach that signaled accidental time travel. She was used to sending teammates back a day or two when things went south, but it was a recent thing to send herself back. She'd never been able to control it or predict when it would happen, either. So far, it was only in her sleep. She'd wake up from a nightmare, but the room wouldn't be hers as she knew it. It would last maybe five minutes, and she'd be blinking at her own room again. This time felt different. Not only was she awake while it was happening, but she could visibly see her surroundings change. She wasn't going to blink and see the same street from a few years ago. She was going to be somewhere completely new, with no idea where or when she was.

Sure enough, when it stopped, it was snowing on a street she'd never seen before. It was completely deserted, and it was dark. The streetlamps were all on, and she could tell it was well after midnight just by the temperature.  _Great,_ she thought.  _I get to freeze in my summer uniform for a few minutes. This is just perfect._ She made herself intangible to let the goo slide off of her, and then sat against a building to wait and huddle for warmth.

She woke up in a warm room, huddled under a blanket and hearing muted voices from another room. She could immediately tell that it had been at least an hour and she had not gone back to her own time. Her team was probably freaking out, especially Logan. For whatever reason, he was very protective of her. The only other person on the team that he could stand was Rogue (and she was pretty sure they were sleeping together, which, gross), and he was just as protective of her. Unless she managed to appear seconds after she'd gone, he'd be tearing apart the city to find her. And when that failed, he'd move on to everywhere else. That thought made her wince, and the blanket fell slightly, making her shiver. How long had she been out in the cold?

The voices stopped as soon as she sat up, and a woman walked into the room to check on her. She was smiling, and she looked nice enough. The man who followed her just looked annoyed, probably at having a random teenager in his house.

"Good, you're awake. You must have been freezing out there!" the woman said, draping another blanket over her shoulders. "What's your name, dear?"

Kitty knew that she couldn't use her actual name. And she had no idea what year this was, so she didn't know which names were acceptable. She decided in seconds to use her role model's name, because she wasn't creative enough to think of anything else. "I'm Betty," she said quietly, looking down. In her mind, she was going over her cover story that she'd come up with months ago, at the Professor's insistence. Just in case of accidents, he'd said. It was like he'd already known this would happen...

"Well, Betty dear, are you hungry? I've just finished making supper. You slept for a full day, did you know? How long were you on that street alone?" the woman asked. Kitty bit her lip. She couldn't make the lies too elaborate, because she didn't know how long she'd be stuck here. But she also couldn't make them vague, because they'd keep asking questions.

"That particular street, probably only a few hours before you found me. My parents... I don't have a family anymore. I've been taking care of myself," she admitted. This part was all true. She'd been thrown out of her house six months before, when her parents found out what went on at the school.

"Oh, you poor dear!" the woman exclaimed. Then she turned to the man, probably her husband, and gave him a significant look. "My name is Karen Ross, and this is my husband Thaddeus. We'd be happy to have you here for as long as you'd like."

"Karen," the man said sharply.

"We've just discussed adopting! Why not this poor child?" Karen asked, raising an eyebrow. Thaddeus shook his head.

Kitty watched, her head spinning. No, this could  _not_ be happening! Betty Ross had been her idol for as long as she'd liked science. (Technically, her real idol was Dr. Banner, but it was weird to say that because she actually knew him now. So her idol had changed to Betty, who stayed by his side even when everything around them tried to drag her away.) Now, it was looking more and more like Betty Ross might be... well,  _her._ And how did that make sense? Because, for starters, there were pictures of Betty. She'd seen them herself. Although... she'd never seen a picture of a teenaged Betty Ross. Maybe... no, that was ridiculous! And they were still arguing, she should probably listen to that.

"Thaddeus, she needs us just as much as any child in an orphanage. Call our lawyer in the morning to have the paperwork drawn up. This is happening," Karen was informing him. Then she turned back to Kitty with worried eyes. "That is... if it's what you want. Would you like to stay here with us?"

Last chance to back away slowly... "I'd like that a lot," she heard herself say.

The next few hours were a blur, as she was fed and they told her about themselves. She already knew most of it, because she'd done lots of research for school reports. By the time they were leading her to her new room, she felt that nothing could surprise her anymore. Imagine her shock when the door was opened into the room she'd been appearing in for months as she had her nightmares. She'd thought the room had been hers before it was hers at the School, but now it was obvious that she'd been traveling to her own timeline twenty years in the past. Nobody could possibly blame her for passing out at the sight of that room, not after the day she'd had.

_Ten years later_

She'd never found a way to get back to her own time. No amount of meditation or concentration would send her back, and nothing close to a time machine had even been attempted in this time. Thaddeus and Karen had indeed adopted her, and she was enrolled into normal school again. She kept her abilities to herself this time, knowing she could control it. Karen had died of a heart attack when Kitty was seventeen, and Thaddeus had sent her off to boarding school for her last year of schooling. When she came back, he had changed his attitude towards her completely. Somehow in the year she'd been gone, he'd decided to treat her as his true daughter, the last of his family. She was dragged from base to base as he led military strikes and training.

The moment she'd been waiting for happened three years after she'd finished school, and a total of ten years after she'd accidentally found herself stuck in this timeline with no way home.

"We've got a new scientist working on that project you keep trying to read about. He's supposedly the best in his field, though I suppose we're putting that to the test," her 'father' told her. "I want you to meet him today, tell me what you think."

"What's his name?" she asked, dreading the answer. She'd been trying to decide what to do about this since she'd taken the name Betty.

"Doctor Bruce Banner. Have you heard of him?" Thaddeus asked. She shook her head, only because she knew Betty never had when she'd met him. Or... she'd said she hadn't. Her entire outlook on Betty Ross had changed since she'd accidentally become her. (An argument could be made that it wasn't accidental. It was probably fate. Or someone having a good laugh somewhere, at her expense.)

"No. I'd like to meet him, though. He sounds fascinating," she replied, keeping her expression neutral. It was going to be weird, because she  _knew_  Bruce Banner back in her actual time. But if she'd made it this far, she could keep going now.

"He's right through there. I don't have time to introduce you right now, but you can do that for yourself. Don't touch any of the equipment; I won't have you getting hurt," he told her, nodding to a door on their right. And then he was gone, and she was pushing the door open.

She'd thought long and hard about whether or not to get involved with Bruce Banner. Meeting him briefly would be okay either way, but... if she kept her distance and they stayed apart, he might have a chance at a normal life. He might never have his accident and become Hulk. And if that happened, the timeline Kitty went back to would be drastically different. Hell, she might never have been born. When she'd first discovered her ability to time travel, the Professor had sat her down for a very serious talk about what was okay and what wasn't. He was adamant that if she could go through her time without changing a thing, everything would be okay. But this... this was a man's entire life at stake. A man's life versus the world she knew. In the end, she knew she'd be selfish. She liked being alive, and she liked the world she'd come from. Besides, Dr. Banner had accepted his fate and was fairly nice to be around, where she was from. 

"Dr. Banner? I'm Betty Ross. My father wanted me to meet you," she said, stepping forward to shake his hand. Bruce looked very young here, around her age. That was weird, but... it helped. It made her think of him as a separate man. He wasn't the Bruce she knew from the future. 

"Please, just call me Bruce, Ms. Ross. It's nice to meet you. A lot of the people around here talk about you, actually," he told her, smiling gently. 

"It's just Betty. I will never get used to being called Ms. Ross," she replied, grinning. "And I'm sure they exaggerate. None of it is true. Rumors are vicious."

"It's all good things. Have you done bad things I haven't heard about?" he asked, raising an eyebrow and setting down the test tube he'd been holding. She shook her head. "Then not all rumors are bad."

"No, I suppose they're not. I'll admit, I was surprised when my father told me there was someone on this base I hadn't met yet. He likes introducing me around. I think it's how he tests the men around here. If they hit on me, or stare, they don't last long. Don't worry, he's not watching right now," she informed him, smiling to herself. It was hard not to flirt with him like this. He was definitely her type.

"What are you implying?" Bruce asked, looking amused. She took it as a good sign that he hadn't fled or started ignoring her yet. In face, he'd taken a step closer and was studying her carefully, all of her.

"It can mean whatever you like," she answered, smiling coyly. She didn't get to find out if he'd kiss her or not, though, because one of her father's lieutenants came in to find her and escort her to the car waiting to take her home.

"I hope to see you again," Bruce called as she was leaving the room. She smiled to herself.

"Oh, I'm sure you'll see me around soon enough," she called over her shoulder, meaning it.

Sure enough, she started spending as much time on the base as she could get away with, completely ignoring her father when he asked why she was so interested. He never pushed, and she never told him about her interest in his favorite scientist. In the end, it didn't matter that she'd kept her mouth shut. When she finally got Bruce to kiss her, they were interrupted by one of the assistants, who ran back to report it to her father. The argument that followed was the worst she'd ever been a part of. Thankfully, it took place at their house and not on the base.

"So I've been informed that your interest lies in a scientist, and not his work," Thaddeus stated, sitting across from her at the table. Her head snapped up, studying his calm expression.

"Bruce is very interesting. He's been trying to teach me about some of his theories, but he loses me more often than not," she hedged.

"I think maybe it's time to send you back home, to find a job and a husband," he said quietly, meeting her gaze steadily. Her face was red, she knew it. She hadn't been this angry in years.

"Don't you dare. You can ban me from your base, if that's what you'd like, but you can't send me away. I'm twenty-six years old. I'm no longer a child, and I'm not under your control. I love you, Father, but I'm not going anywhere. My life is here," she told him, trying not to glare.

"Don't take that tone with me. I am your father. I know what's best for you," he snapped, not bothering to stop himself from glaring. She rolled her eyes.

"Need I remind you that you're not biologically my anything? What's best for me is Bruce. I'm not leaving him behind just because... because why? What is your problem with this? Do you think it's going to affect his work? This has been going on for months, and he's gotten further on your bomb than he had before I showed up. Explaining things to me has helped him find things he's missed multiple times. Like I said, if you want to ban me from your base that's fine. Don't expect me to pack my bags and walk away, though, because I won't," she shot back.

"You damn well better believe that you won't be back on that base!" Thaddeus shouted. "And if Banner wants to keep his job, he won't go near you!"

"Bruce has gotten offers from multiple places since he started working for you. He's told me that he loves me. That's the only reason he's stuck around for you, you know? Because I asked him to. You tell him it's a choice between me and that job, he'll be gone before you say another word. Is that what you really want?" she asked, trying not to cry. He'd see that as a weakness, and he'd assume that he'd won.

"I don't believe you," Thaddeus stated, sounding unsure.

"Then dig into your records and see it for yourself. I know you have access to all emails, all outgoing calls. Check Bruce's. He's showed me the emails, and I know he's called at least one place back. You're holding him by a thread, and you don't even see it. Go ahead, cut it. See what happens. Give him that choice, and watch us be happy whether you approve or not," she told him, sitting back. She'd won, either way. He could give the ultimatum, but she already knew what would happen next.

"I don't want you fraternizing at the base," Thaddeus grumbled, pushing away from the table and stalking out of the room.

A few weeks later, she decided she couldn't lie to Bruce any longer. It had been bothering her since she'd realized she actually was developing feelings for him. She couldn't have him fall for her if he thought she was someone else. That had happened before (long story) and it had been horrible. So she got him out of the lab for the first time in days, and took him back to the apartment she'd gotten for herself after her argument with Thaddeus.

"I need to tell you something very important," she told him, frowning slightly. "I need you to listen and think before you react. Can you do that for me?"

"Of course, Betty. Is something wrong?" he asked, sounding concerned. He sat next to her on the couch when she gestured, and she nodded.

"For starters, my name isn't really Betty Ross. What everyone on that base doesn't know is that the Rosses adopted me when I was fourteen. My real name is Kitty Pryde. And this is going to sound very strange, but I'm not from this time," she replied. He was frowning now, looking almost hurt.

"How is that even possible?" he asked, keeping his voice steady. And wasn't it a good thing the Hulk didn't exist yet, she thought.

"I'm a mutant. I know you know what that is, because you're smart. You're a scientist. You've studied them at some point, I'm sure, because they all do. I did, in my high school class, before I went to The School," she informed him, smiling reassuringly. "One of my abilities is to be intangible. I can walk through anything. Including, apparently, timelines. It started as being able to send other people through, but it became accidentally sending myself when I got scared or stressed. I got stuck eleven years ago in this time, and I haven't figured out how to get home yet."

"How did you get home the other times?" he asked, face blank.

"It was automatic. I didn't do anything but wait, and it was just a few minutes after the initial traveling that I'd be back where I started," she explained.

"So you've been living here as Betty Ross while you're waiting to be pulled back home?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. She nodded. "I'm sorry. It's a lot to take in. It seems like you might be stuck here permanently, though."

"That's what I've been thinking, too. I was really upset about that at first, but then... I think it will be okay, as long as I've got you," she told him, meaning every word. That got him to smile, too.

"You'll always have me," he replied, pulling her in for a kiss. The second their lips met, she felt that strange tug in her stomach.

"Oh god, no, not now!" she exclaimed, pulling away frantically. His eyes met hers, and she could tell he knew what was happening. "I can't go yet..."

"Why not? Your home is waiting," he said sadly.

"Because I love you!" she told him, pulling him into another kiss. The tug was getting more insistent as she tried to resist it. "I don't want to leave you alone with what's coming."

"When will I see you again?" he asked. She looked down.

"You'll meet me in about twenty years. But you won't meet  _me_ again until about five years after that. Trust me, you'll know the difference," she replied. Then her eyes snapped back up as she realized something. "The age difference. There's something you need to be aware of. There's about twenty years between the two of us. I'm just being born as of right now in your timeline. That's probably why I'm going home. No matter what age I appear to be when I get back and find you, mentally I'm still almost twenty-seven. I don't know if I'll appear that way physically or not. Age is just a number, Bruce. Don't you dare shut me out just because you think you'd be too old for me at that time. You're not now, and you won't be then. Understand?"

"I... think so?" he replied. "What you're trying to say is, you're going to be an adult and can make your own choices about who to be with, and I should just go with it. Right?"

"Exactly," she nodded, smiling slightly. The room was already fading. "I'm so sorry, Bruce. I love you. I'll see you as soon as I can. As soon as I'm back." And then he was gone, and she was alone in her own room at the School with one word echoing through her head:  _GO._

The others probably had a big shock at seeing her run through all of the walls to get to the garage, where she found the code to the safe that held Scott's keys just magically in her mind. Either the Professor was helping her, or Jean was. She wasn't sure which she'd preferred, and decided that it wasn't the time to think about that. She took Scott's least attention-attracting car and drove off before anyone could say a word to stop her. It wasn't until she was parking at Stark Tower a few hours later that she realized it might be an issue. Sure, she'd met all of the Avengers before, but what reason could she give them for being there now? Surely Bruce hadn't told them about her.

She didn't have to worry about it. The Professor (who Kitty realized must have seen all of what had happened in Bruce's thoughts every time he looked at her) must have called ahead, because Bruce was waiting for her in the lobby.

"It really is you, isn't it?" he asked in amazement. She threw herself into his arms in answer, pulling him into a kiss she was sure he'd been waiting decades for. It was common knowledge to anyone who cared to know that Bruce Banner had never taken another girlfriend after Betty's disappearance.

"It's me. I'm so sorry it took this long. It's only been hours for me... I can't imagine having to wait like you have," she told him, resting her head on his shoulder, unwilling to let go.

"I'm a very patient man. I had a promise that I knew you'd keep. So... what do I call you now?" he asked her, rubbing her back. He clearly wasn't willing to let go, either.

"Whatever you want. I'm used to answering to both names now, honestly. I just spent eleven years as Betty Ross. Call me Betty, call me Kitty, I'll respond to both. They're both my names," she replied. She could feel his smile against her hair.

"That sounds good to me. We both have a lot to catch up on," he started. "Would you like to see my floor? We can have dinner, talk... whatever you want."

"What exactly are you implying?" she teased, remembering what he'd said to her when they'd first met. It seemed he remembered too, because he blushed slightly.

"It can mean whatever you like," he told her, taking her hand. She had no intention of ever letting go again.


End file.
